Germany's Christmas Markets Are Beautiful. Terrorism Isn't Going to Ruin That For Me.

There's something magical about strolling through those stalls.

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By Caleigh Alleyne

Dec 20, 2016

Last week, I boarded an 8-hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany, intent on spending the next several days discovering the magic of the country's famous Christmas markets. It was my third time in Deutschland, but my first visit during the holiday season. I returned home this past Sunday. After learning of the terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday, I was shocked and saddened to think that this age-old German tradition, which so recently had brought me boundless joy, had been marred by violence. I was flooded with calls and notes from loved ones seeking reassurance of my safe return. I was heartened to read the statement released by Germany's interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, reassuring the public that Christmas markets across Germany will continue to take place. "Regardless of what we may learn about the exact motives of the assailant, we must not let our free way of life to be taken from us," he said.

Germany is known worldwide for being the birthplace of the Christmas market. Dating all the way back to the 14th century and the Strielzmarket in Dresden, Christkindlmarkts were a way for people to sell and stock up on goods for the winter months, as well as a gathering place for friends and family to share in holiday cheer. Today, Weihnachtsmarkts, as these temporary shopping hubs are also called, begin in late November and remain open for a month-long celebration leading up to Christmas. It's one of the best times to experience authentic German culture: There are local artisans selling handmade ornaments and children nibbling on freshly baked cookies, and you'll find these marketplaces everywhere, from big cities like Munich to tiny medieval towns like Michelstadt. Here's why my fondness for German Christmas markets will never wane, no matter what hateful, destructive act threatens to keep me away:

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Glühwein

The markets are filled with revelers toasting the holiday season and catching up over glühwein, a beverage made of regional fruit wines spiced and served with a shot of brandy. The first record of mulled wine dates back all the way to Rome in the 2nd century A.D. Today, recipes are passed down through generations, each family adding their own special spices and fruit to the mix. Even children join in on the fun, begging their parents for a cup of non-alcoholic kinderpunsch.

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Handcrafted Christmas Decorations

Many of the stalls are filled with handmade ornaments carved out of wood or crafted from ceramic materials. Artisans work year-round to construct both religious relics like nativity scenes and advent wreaths and secular scenes of Santa and winter villages. The most iconic decorations are the nutcracker soldiers, which were invented in the Ore Mountains in the state of Saxony in the 15th century. They're considered symbols of good luck throughout the holiday season.

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Lebkuchen

You cannot walk through a German Christmas market without seeing swaths of gingerbread cooking hanging from stall ceilings. These cookies are traditionally heart-shaped with festive messages scrawled on them in icing saying, "I love you" (Ich liebe dich) and "Merry Christmas" (Fröhliche Weihnachten) in both English and German. They're given to loved ones tokens of goodwill over the holiday season. Germany's largest producer of gingerbread, the Aachener Printen, was founded in 1688.

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Roasted Nuts

The aroma of chestnuts roasting over fire and spiced almonds is ever-present in the air. These sweet and sticky nuts are heated and coated with sugar or spice and are sold by the spoonful. The recipes have evolved over the years to now include popular candy and cookie varieties for children and liqueur flavors like Amaretto for adults.

Courtesy of Caleigh Alleyne

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Moravian Stars

These traditionally 26-point stars are illuminate homes and market stalls all over Germany and other countries in Europe. Moravian stars first appeared 160 years ago in Saxony's Moravian Church of Upper Lusatia and are still used to mark the region's advent season. The Hernhuter Sterne factory, where the stars are made, offers public tours.

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Pottery

Handmade mugs, bowls, and plates are a market staple and the cups make perfectly functional souvenirs, serving to hold your glühwein as you browse the stalls. Pieces by the Odenwälder Töpferei company, one of the longest running family businesses that still sells hand-painted items, are a popular gift. The brand's signature floral patterns are more than 400 years old and have been passed down through the Dönig family.

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Bratwurst

While the markets are always filled with a variety of sweet treats, one of the most popular savory foods is sausage. The recipes for bratwurst differ regionally: You'll find longer, thinner Franconian sausage in Bavaria and spicier versions in Thüringer, which come served on a white bread roll with mustard. Market goers stand around high tables after an afternoon or evening of shopping with this hearty yet inexpensive meal.

Courtesy of Caleigh Alleyne

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Fresh Bread

Christstollen is a traditional Christmas fruit bread made with sweet dried fruit and coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar. While each region in Germany has its own recipe containing a different proportions of candied fruit, nuts, and spices, the bread is made only during the holiday season. The most famous is the Dresden Stollen, a heavier yet moist bread filled with fruit where other variations are filled with marzipan or a poppy seed paste.